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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Jessica Shortall of Dallas has rendered exceptional |
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| 6 | 7 | | service to the LGBTQIA+ communities in Texas and beyond through her |
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| 7 | 8 | | tireless advocacy work; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Ms. Shortall is the founding managing director of |
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| 9 | 10 | | Texas Competes, a partnership of business owners, industry |
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| 10 | 11 | | associations, and chambers of commerce; the organization helps |
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| 11 | 12 | | ensure the fair treatment of LGBTQIA+ workers and families, opposes |
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| 12 | 13 | | discriminatory policies, and strives to make the state more |
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| 13 | 14 | | economically competitive by promoting inclusiveness; the |
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| 14 | 15 | | organization is a model for America Competes, an entity also |
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| 15 | 16 | | directed by Ms. Shortall, that provides entrepreneurs with |
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| 16 | 17 | | information, legislative analysis, and other resources so that they |
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| 17 | 18 | | can advocate for equal opportunity for the members of the LGBTQIA+ |
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| 18 | 19 | | communities; and |
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| 19 | 20 | | WHEREAS, The daughter of Venezuelan and English immigrants, |
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| 20 | 21 | | Ms. Shortall formerly served with the Peace Corps in Uzbekistan, |
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| 21 | 22 | | and she cofounded the Campus Kitchens Project, a food rescue and |
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| 22 | 23 | | hunger relief nonprofit that is active in more than 50 cities in the |
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| 23 | 24 | | U.S.; moreover, she was the first director of giving at TOMS Shoes |
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| 24 | 25 | | and played a key role in building the company's One for One |
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| 25 | 26 | | charitable program; and |
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| 26 | 27 | | WHEREAS, Ms. Shortall earned a master of business |
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| 27 | 28 | | administration degree in 2006 from the University of Oxford, where |
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| 28 | 29 | | she was a Skoll Scholar in social entrepreneurship; she also works |
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| 29 | 30 | | as a strategy consultant, and in all her endeavors she enjoys the |
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| 30 | 31 | | love and support of her husband, Clay, and her two children; and |
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| 31 | 32 | | WHEREAS, By defending the rights of those who are |
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| 32 | 33 | | marginalized, Jessica Shortall is helping to build a more just, |
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| 33 | 34 | | open, and diverse society for all Americans, and she may indeed take |
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| 34 | 35 | | great pride in her many achievements; now, therefore, be it |
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| 35 | 36 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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| 36 | 37 | | Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby commend Jessica Shortall |
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| 37 | 38 | | for her dedicated advocacy in behalf of the LGBTQIA+ community in |
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| 38 | 39 | | Texas and extend to her sincere best wishes for continued success |
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| 39 | 40 | | with her important work; and, be it further |
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| 40 | 41 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 41 | 42 | | prepared for Ms. Shortall as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 42 | 43 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
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